Slants vs Curls

When passing, your receivers can run a number of routes. Some of the most efficient routes though, that I've found, are Slant patterns and Curl Routes. On a slant, the receiver take about 4 steps forward and then slants toward the middle of the field. This play will work well against man-to-man defense if the receiver can get inside of the cornerback covering him, creating a window for the quarterback to throw into. If a tackle can be broken, it could be a big gainer. A curl, on the other hand, is when the receiver runs for about 8 to 10 yards, and then stops on a dime and turns around, waiting for the ball to get to him. This type of play typically only works against certain zones: if a defense is in man to man, the corner will usually jump the route (at least on Madden) and pick it off or deflect it. Slants can be dangerous to run against zones though because if they are not thrown perfectly, a zoning linebacker or safety could easily step up and intercept the ball.

Though Slants and Curls have their advantages and disadvantages, I prefer to run slants. The receiver is already running in stride and therefore does not have to speed up to get more yards. Additionally, if you have your wideouts run multiple slants on one play, its almost guaranteed one of them will break open, giving you at least a first down. Running a slant with a fast receiver and an accurate quarterback is a deadly combination in Madden 10.